Changes at The Tasting Kitchen, Darioush Comes to BH, Freebies at Valerie Confections All Week Long

VENICE— When The Tasting Kitchen took over AK, the venue's publicist shared that the eatery would slowly undergo "interior and exterior modifications," but here we are four months later with minimal visible changes. Supposedly the "mezzanine" has been "transfigured," says an employee, (with "hopefully" more to come) but the real adjustments have taken place in the kitchen and at the bar. The market driven restaurant has introduced at new pasta program which includes five hand-made pasta each day such as bigoli and tagliatelle. In the cocktail arena, a completely new bar program has also been introduced. Look for house-made tonics, Swedish punch, bitters- more of the fancy stuff. Plus, additional brown wines (aka completely oxidized, tannic, funky versions of what people know as "white" wine), five of which are on the list now. [EaterWire]

BEVERLY HILLS— Next door to Matsuhisa comes Darioush Restaurant as noted by Grub Street. Windows are still papered up, tips on this eatery are welcome in the comments. [GS]

SILVER LAKE— This week dessert shop Valerie Confections debuts its fall line of indulgences. From tomorrow through Saturday the store will give out a smattering of free samples listed down below. [EaterWire]

Tuesday, October 27th
Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake and Blum's Lemon Crunch Cake:
10 am to 6 pm
Enjoy a complimentary slice of one of our most popular cakes, the Blum's Coffee Crunch or Blum's Lemon Crunch.

Wednesday, October 28th
Everyday Indulgences
10 am to 6 pm
Try our new line of casual treats, our "Everyday Indulgences." Includes Almond Toffee Treats, Peanut Toffee Treats, Chocolate Citrus Bark and Chocolate Diped Shortbread.

Thursday, October 29th
Petits Fours
10 am to 6 pm
Elegant and diminutive, our petits fours come in flavors such as vanilla bean cake with passionfruit ganache and orange cake with handmade marzipan filling. Enjoy a complimentary afternoon petit four pick me up.

Friday, October 30th
Valerie at the Market
10 am to 6 pm
Inspired by the farmer's markets of Los Angeles, we'll be sampling products such as White Fig and Fuji Apple Jam, and Mini Market Cakes.

HALLOWEEN, Saturday, October 31st
Chocolates, Toffees, and Truffles
10 am to 5 pm
To celebrate Halloween, we'll be sampling all manner of chocolates--- our signature Fleur de Sel Toffees, Black Pepper Truffles, Liquid Caramels and more.